Hair clipper with improved reciprocable cutter blade



June 16, 1953 w. H. NEED 2,641,833

HAIR CLIPPER WITH IMPROVED RECIPROCABLE CUTTER BLADE Filed May 10. 1951 a Fig.)

Waldo H. Need INVENTOR.

2y MM F/nn Patented June 16, l953 UNITED "STATES PATENT OFFICE HATR CLIPPER WITH IMPROVED RECIPROCABLE CUTTER BLADE Waldo H. Need, Gary, Ind. ApplicationMay 10, 1951, Serial No. 225,505

'1 The present invention relates to plural cooperating cutters in gen'eraland has more particular reference to a novel and improved reciprocating one-half skip-tooth cutter blade which, when combined with a complemental relatively stationary cutter blade, provides a superiorhair clipper construction. r V

It goes without saying, that persons familiar with barbers hair-clippers are forever attempting to ascertain what is structurally wrong with such clippers as are now available on the market and are likewise constantly on the alert to take all significant factors into account and to adjust any defect in construction which may come up for consideration and disposition. As a result of such activity, the art to which the invention relates is fully well developed and many inventors have concerned themselves with a solution to the problem of effectively designing and interrelating the teeth on the stationary and movable cutter blades to bring about a more desirable and effective shearing action. It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to structurally, functionally and otherwise improve upon the choice, selection and interdependency of the cutting teeth and, inso doing, to provide apair of clippers in which manufacturers, barbers and other users will find their respective manufacturing and use requirements fully met.

It is generally conceded by those who understand the construction of conventional clippers and who are called upon to use them, that due to the rapid motion of the reciprocable cutter blade, especially in electric cutters, and the lack of resistance offered by the hair, uniform hair severance results are not obtained. Often, the hairends are left jagged to the extent that they take on a-shaggy disheveled appearance. It is often necessary to use special thinning clippers and in most instances the average hair cutting job requires the use of a comb and a pair of shears to taper and shadethe' chewed spots here and there. V

It is another object of the invention to provide improved clippers which virtually eliminate clipper marks, save time and labor in respect to the tapering off and shading out requirements of the job by simply cutting the hair in different lengths with one stroke of the blade and on two different planes with one advance of the clippers through the hair.

More specifically, novelty is predicated on hair clippers characterized by a relatively stationary cutter blade having an external ribbed basing surface to slide freely and ride over the head and 2 Claims. (01. 30-223) in a keeper channel l8 provided therefor.

having its leading edge portion provided with regulation cutting teeth of uniform length, and a complemental reciprocable cutter blade or plate superimposed upon said stationary blade and having its leading edge portion provided with cutting teeth coacting with said first named cutting teeth,'the latter being constructed and arranged to provide two distinguishable series or groups,

the teeth of one series being long and all of the same length, and the teeth of the remaining series being short and of the same length.

Other objects and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a pair of hair clippers constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side view with portions broken away and shown in section; said view bringing out the details of construction; and

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the improved cutter blade by itself.

Referring now to the drawings, all of the factors which are herein under advisement are fairly well revealed in Figure 2, wherein it will be seen that the lower relatively stationary cutter plate or blade is denoted by the numeral 4, while the companion or complemental upper relatively movable cutter plate or bladeis denoted by the numeral 6. The blade or plate 4 comprises a body or platen 8 having an extending flange portion ID, to which the usual spring clip means I2 is separably bolted in place, as at 14. The clip means has a V-shaped detent l6 which rests removably The channel is best shown in Figure 3. The underside of the platen or body 8, the side which slides over thesurfaces of the head, is provided with guiding and riding ribs 20. The ribs 20 are provided with extensions projecting beyond the forward or leading edge portion 22 where they terminate in outwardly projecting teeth 24. The latter are of equal lengths and are of customary shape, cross-section and construction.- The lower cutter blade Al is also provided with the usual clearance and friction reducing channel 26. It will be understood that parts 4 and I2 are exactly the same in construction as corresponding parts which are used on standard or conventional hair clippers currently on the market. As a matter of fact, the reciprocable cutter plate or blade 6 is,

blade has a groove 34 opposed to the groove 26;

The leading edge portion 36 projects slightly beyond the leading edge 22 where it is provided with cutter teeth 38. These are similar to those commonly found on conventional reciprocable cutter blades. It will be noticed, however, that the outer tip ends 42 on the teeth 38 terminate inwardly of the tip portions 42 of the teeth 24. Primarily,

however, it will be noticed that the main improvement and distinction has to do with the series or group of shorter teeth 44 in combination with companion long teeth .38..

It will be clear that the essence of theinventicn in the instant matteris in reference to the blade per se, that is, the blade 6 appearing in Figure 3. More specifically, it will be observed that the leading edge portion of this blade or plate is provided with cutting teeth wherein the latter have cutting edges in a common plane. The teeth 38 and M are arranged, it will-be noted, to provide two distinguishable groups of teeth and the teeth 3B of this particular group are all long and of the same length, while the teeth 44 of the remaining group are all short and all the same in length. Also, the short teeth alternate in respect to the long teeth. The top surfaces of all of these teeth 38 and M are inclined forwardly and downwardly and the inclinations of the top surfaces of the short teeth it are appreciably steeper than the inclinations of the top surfaces of the long teeth 38. Although of no special significance it will be also observed that in the blade shown the first tooth at one end of the blade is a short tooth, that the second tooth is a long tooth, further, that the last tooth at the other end of the blade is a long tooth while the next to the last tooth is a short tooth. Consequently, the remaining teeth intervening in the space between these stated ends or extremes of the blade are alternateh short and long.

It has been found by using these clippers that it is now possible to do away with .all hand work in respect to special shingling, tapering and shading out. In respect to .shingling or feathering, the back of a mans .head, as is customarily done nowadays, these clippers are ideal in that they actually put the requisite feathering and finishing touches on the area in question and pare it down gradually and progressively with smooth appearing nicety; The one-half is'kip-tooth .action which is available because of the alternate long and short teeth is indeed a unique accomplishment in clipper constructions, especially wherein the improved teeth are embodied in the movable cutter blade as distinguished from the stationary or bottom cutter blade. The invention will cut fifty per cent of the hair strands at the terminal points of the long teeth on the movin blade and the coacting regular teeth on the bottom blade, all hair being cut in approximately the same plane, and will allow the other fifty per cent of the hair to be out between the shearing action of the short teeth on the moving blade and the regular teeth on the stationary blade. It follows that the uniform long length teeth 24 on the plate or blade 4 coact ideally with the long and short teeth 33 and 44 on the movable blade 6.

It is thought that persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates will be able to obtain a clear understanding of the invention after considering the description in connection with the drawings. Therefore, a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary.

.Minor changes in shape, .size .and arrangement of detafls coming within the .field of invention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice, if desired.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a hair clipper of the plural cooperating cutter type, in combination, a relatively stationary bottom cutter blade having regularly spaced cutting teeth all uniform in length, and a relatively movable companion top cutter blade operatively mounted for reciprocation atop said bottom cutter blade and having spaced cutting teeth complemental to those of said bottom cutter blade, the latter teeth having cutting edges disposed in a common plane and spaced inwardly from the front ends of said cooperating first named cutting teeth and being constructed to provide two distinguishable series of teeth having outwardly and downwardly inclined top surfaces, the teeth of one series being long and all of the same length, and the teeth of the other series being short and all of the same length, said short teeth being alternately interposed between said long teeth.

2. The structure defined in claim 1, wherein the inclinations .of the top surfaces of the short teeth are steeper than the inclinations of the long teeth.

WALDO H. NEED.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Date. 

